When is too early to change from puppy food to adult food?

[Bulldogg]

Our Jesse is getting to be such a big girl. Her birthday is October of 2009, so she is about 6 months old. She seems to be getting a bit on the chubby side, but she is built like a bull, she is sooo very stout. I am wondering if I should be putting her on adult food, because I don't want her to become overweight. I usually wait until they are a year old. She is also on NuVet vitamins everyday.

Thoughts? When do you usually change to adult food?

[grannietutor]

I feed puppy till they are a year old...but the food that Otis is on now is for puppies and adult dogs...I think she needs puppy food for the extra calcium--but how much are you feeding, and how many treats does she get. Does the vet say she is overweight? So many factors to consider...her body build, head size, how active she is...you might try a little extra exercise.

[HighDesertBulldogs]

Hi Chip,

Long time experienced show breeders are now leaning toward getting Bulldog puppies off the higher protein puppy food by at least 3 mos. of age, reason being that Bulldog puppies tend to grow and develop too fast as it is. The higher protein puppy food encourages growth so switching them over to a lower protein adult food won't do that. Plus this breed is not that active so it really doesn't have the requirements for a higher protein food. When a Bulldog developes too fast it can cause issues such as fiddle front where the legs are not straight because their legs are not fully developed and ready to deal with carryiing that huge chest and head so the legs will tweak funny to compensate, plus the general fact that all that early growth and weight on those young legs causes many other leg issues. I now switch my pups over to adult food at 3 mos. and have seen a good steady growth on them. Hope this helps!

[Bulldogg]

Thank you so much for the great advice! I think that I will go ahead and start switching her now. She is so stacked, and yes, maybe the additional protein she is getting from the puppy food is too much.

She is extremely active, (maybe a bit too much?) and is built like a "roly poly". She does not do much "chillin' out".

Since we also supplement with NuVet Plus, she should be getting extra calcium? **BRB, checking ingredients!** Yes, has 100mg of calcium.

Here is a recent photo of her, but taken about a month ago. She was 5 months old in the photo.

[bbstubbles]

I have heard anywhere from 6 months to a year...? I think we waitted till close to 8 months.